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ZELGADISS TORN
___________________ Part 6 _________________
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Zelgadiss smirked, "Oh certainly, Lina. As if I have the power to conjure up Mazouku and command them." He shook his head chuckling to himself. "I'll keep an eye on Greyzel, until Xelloss returns for him. That's the best I can offer."
That was fine with Lina. If Zel wanted the job, fine. Just fine.
Amelia, annoyed, bit back her objections since it might have provoked Zelgadiss to think that she doubted his ability to control his wicked little demon. Amelia might have been the youngest of the four friends and the most innocent, but she was not ignorant of the fragility of the male ego. "So are we going directly to collect Filia? It would be polite of us to send a message on ahead and warn her."
"Go ahead, if you want to," Lina said with a casual wave of her hand. "But the cost comes out of your share!"
"How far to the next town?" Gourry asked. "Just thinkin' ahead, too."
Lina glanced up at the tall guy with a look of incredulity. "Eh? Since when did you start thinkin' in advance, huh? Ha, ha, well anyway… we'll reach someplace by nightfall."
"Hey, get your hands off me!" Lina slapped at the clawed fingers stroking her hair affectionately. "Oh, it's just you, Greyzel."
"Pretty…ssssssoft."
Lina grinned at the very demonic, blue Zel-like face, "Yeah, I've got great hair, huh? Yours is…wow! Did you guys ever feel this hair? Zel, it's more…metal-like than yours ever was. Greyzel, nice hair!"
She was rewarded with a fang-filled grin. "So, do ya know all the stuff Zel does? You know, did ya get a copy of his memories too?"
"Ssssome. I know you. You are Lina Inverse, the most beautiful, powerful sorceress in all the land," Greyzel said with a small bow.
Lina swelled with pride. "This guy knows his facts!"
"He sure knows what ta say to Lina," Gourry whispered to Amelia, who was also a bit envious of all the attention the demon was getting.
"If you're not careful, that… thing will ensorcel her too! Mr. Zelgadiss is already under its enchantment, I'm afraid," Amelia warned.
"Really? He looks just the same ta me." Gourry watched Zel in conversation with both Lina and Greyzel. "He's still human. And, Amelia, that little guy's not goin' around Lina at all. More hoppin' in front…"
"'En-SOR-sell', not 'encircle'! Honestly, Mr. Gourry…" Amelia shook her head impatiently. She stomped on ahead, passing the others in her haste to put time and space between 'that thing' and herself.
Greyzel practically swooned as the little princess sped by him, buffeting him with her angry aura. Lina raised an eyebrow as Zelgadiss clasped the demon under an arm providing him with some support. "Greyzel here's more taken with us girls than his human counterpart ever was," she noted aloud.
Zel blushed. That added more fuel to Lina's fire.
"Of course, he's just goin' on your memories and impressions of us, right Zel? Maybe your feelings for the ladies are only now being revealed by your little demon shadow…" Lina stopped as Zel's color darkened further. Time to back off for now. He was a friend and all… "Just kiddin' ya, Zel. Don't be so sensitive, eh?" Ignoring the sputtering Zel for the moment—he was swearing that he was as insensitive as they came-- Lina clutched Greyzel's free arm and yanked him forward. "Come on with me and tell me what you can remember about me, for starters…"
"NO!" Zel hacked out. "You don't want to do that! Greyzel! It's… it's…"
Greyzel planted his feet and turned to Zel. "It's a sssssssecret!"
Brightening, Zel said, "That's right! Our secret." Definitely he did not want Greyzel spilling out his inner-most private thoughts to…to…even his best friends.
"Yessss, our ssssecret."
Lina was left gaping in disbelief while the others, even Amelia had a good laugh. Greyzel was learning all kinds of irritating habits from his Mazouku master, it seemed.
As much as Greyzel fawned over Lina, it was nothing compared with how he kowtowed to his human complement. He patently adored Zel and watched him like a hawk, memorizing his reactions then later mimicking his voice inflections and hand movements—perfecting what he already knew. Gourry thought it was odd, but funny. Lina found it 'charming'—a most un-Lina-like utterance. Amelia… considered it to be disgusting and insulting, and felt bad about harboring such unjust feelings. There was an obvious connection/attraction between Zel and Greyzel, but that was to be expected. They had shared a body and mind for many years.
The next day they continued their journey after a hearty breakfast, knowing that if they made good time they could reach Filia's home in time for a delicious free dinner. For that reason, Lina had them on a forced march with no rests, not even for lunch. Along the way, Amelia hoped to Cephied that her note sent by a fleet-footed courier from the inn would arrive at Filia's before they did!
The weather was pleasant, their pace deserving of reward, the company, well, that was something else again. Xelloss had not yet returned to retrieve his servant, Greyzel, who had –in turn-- ingratiated himself with everyone. Where he had found the tools from the depths of Zel's personality to befriend and charm her comrades so quickly, Amelia could only guess---Xelloss. She had to admit that even she felt her barriers against his intrusion melt a little. Blast that Mazouku charisma anyway! He was trying so hard to get Zel's approval. But it wasn't natural! A human should not have a demon like that idolizing him! Amelia wished that Xelloss would come soon and collect his little general before he and her Zelgadiss were once again inseparable.
They encountered the messenger boy around lunch time, had Lina allowed them to break long enough to eat a lunch. That meant that Filia would be forewarned of their impending visit, thank Cephied! Amelia was still lost in thought, when a cry from Lina alerted her to possible danger. Alas, the messenger boy, real or no, had been a diversion, distracting them while a horde of Trolls burst from hiding spots in the tall shrubs beside the road.
"You can't just slice 'em and dice 'em, guys!" Lina shouted as she reinforced Zel's magical barrier with her own. "They just regenerate and…"
KA-BOOM!
Lina's tutorial was interrupted by a loud explosion. Swirling masses of black energy, roiling and re-coiling upon itself in smaller, colorful eddies, charged over, around and through the Trolls. What they couldn't see, their ears confirmed as the agonizing scream of Troll bodies being torn limb from limb and blasted to ashes filled the air. In the course of a few horrifying minutes, their enemies were defeated, decimated, and dispelled. And standing alone between Lina, her comrades, and the space-where-the-Troll-had-been, was Greyzel. He lowered his arms and harnessed in his demon aura before turning around. "All gone!" he announced with a smile.
"T-thank you, Greyzel," Zelgadiss gasped.
"Er, ah…yeah," Lina managed. "Pretty impressive." She gave him a reassuring grin and a slap on the back to confirm her acknowledgment. "Couldn'ta done better myself!"
Now that was praise indeed, coming from the self-proclaimed sorceress supreme!
"Damned right!" Zelgadiss barked with a well-meaning punch. "Now tell me, what was that spell you used?" He swung an arm around his demon friend's shoulder and together continued their journey.
Amelia shivered. Now she another reason to not like the demon, he was powerful and deadly. And Zelgadiss loved it!
Lina noticed Amelia's strained countenance and decided that she must have been more frightened than usual. "Hey, its okay. Trolls are gone and we'll be at Filia's in a few hours, then…" Lina's eyes glowed with excitement, "we can eat, drink and be merry, right?"
Amelia smiled faintly and nodded. Now if only that had been Mr. Zelgadiss offering her his sympathy and affection! Attention. She kicked the ground, stumbling, but caught herself before falling on her face. That would get his attention, falling unceremoniously in the road like a klutz! What could she do to tear him away from that Mazouku?
There he was up ahead of everyone else, talking to Greyzel, of course. Gourry, some ways behind, was pleading shamelessly with Lina to stop, just pause a bit to get a drink at the stream so invitingly close. Apparently, Lina relented, since now she was turning off the road to the left.
"Mr. Zelgadiss, Lina's changing directions!" Amelia shouted, running to catch up with him.
Zelgadiss heard her call and pivoted on a heel so quickly that he bumped into the poor girl. Although he was no longer covered in rock, he was hard and sinewy, a tough body to stumble into.
"Ouch!" she yelped. Her hand flew to pad her throbbing head.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't know you were there." Zel watched as she applied a healing spell to the rising bump.
Amelia had to swallow to ease the tightness in her throat and then said brusquely, "That's no surprise! You hardly notice me anymore. Not since…" She looked straight at the demon hovering off to Zel's left, then lowered her voice as if it might not be able to overhear her, "You have him for company." Blinking away a few stray tears, she spun around with the intent to locate and join Lina and Gourry.
Oh, she was mad and hurt! It was delicious! Or so Greyzel thought. The demon couldn't help himself as he began to follow the girl. However, Zel stopped him and shook his head, "Go on to Lina. I need to speak to Amelia alone."
Amelia felt his eyes on her as she walked away. She shouldn't have shown him how vulnerable she could be, but Zelgadiss meant so much to her. She didn't want to give up and lose him.
"Amelia."
She hesitated and turned around to find Zelgadiss detached from his demon admirer. Had he called her back?
"You don't like him, do you?" Zel asked flatly.
How could she answer that? He had been a part of Zelgadiss at one time. Would Zelgadiss be resentful? Hurt?
"If he bothers you so much, why didn't you say something earlier?" Zel continued, as if he didn't expect her to answer him.
"I-I could tell you did and I didn't want to hurt your feelings," she said honestly. She knew Zelgadiss appreciated honesty anyway.
Zelgadiss frowned, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not that sensitive." His gaze raked her face for some reaction, some clue to what she was thinking.
She stiffened in shock at his cold tone. "I guess not! How silly I am!" How could he believe that! How could she break through that impassive barrier he'd put up? With a flourish, she acted on impulse and ripped open the front of her blouse practically to her waist, nearly exposing her breasts completely. "Is this what you w-want? Is this what it takes to get y-you to n-notice me?"
Well…kinda. It did do the trick.
Zel was all eyes now. He couldn't help himself for a brief period of time, he just stood gaping stupidly. "Amelia!" he gasped finally, averting his eyes as a rising blush encompassed his face.
"It's just that it's been such a disappointment, this trip so far. I was so excited at first thinking here was a chance for you and me to travel together, to get to know each other better without the palace and all. Then…he…shows up and monopolizes you to the point that…" she dropped her hands to her sides. "Look at me… I'm reduced to…this… in order to have a simple quiet discussion with you." She half-turned away from him holding the front of her blouse closed with a hand. "I'm so ashamed."
Zel found his voice, "Don't be. It's me who should apologize. I feel responsible, although… Gods you are beautiful!" How that had escaped his lips, he hadn't a clue, but once said he couldn't take it back, nor did he want to. "I-I mean…you always were…are! I just hadn't ever…you know…seen…"
"So much of me?" she whispered, saving him the anguish of trying to come up with the apt wording, befitting a princess. She blushed and looked up, meeting his eyes, at last. "I don't know how I'm going to explain the missing buttons…"
Zelgadiss knelt to the ground and picked each one up and when he was done, stood before her. "I have some thread. I'll sew them back on for you while we talk."
He handed her his cloak to wrap up in while she removed her blouse and imparted it into his care. They found a spot to rest. Silence reigned, while he threaded his needle and sewed on the first button. As he started the second, Amelia began, "Well, I understand that if you delve into a person's past hard enough, you might find a clue to their character."
Zelgadiss arrested his stitching and closed his eyes. "Ah. My past. Well…"
She was afraid that he would stop at that and there would be nothing more, but then he seemed to collect his thoughts and begin to relate a story.
"I had a friend when I was living in Rezo's laboratory." He strained to go on, as if it took a tremendous effort to recount this tale from his past. "It took over a year for her to die and I had to watch it." His saddened eyes met Amelia's compassionate ones. "Is that deep enough for you?"
She looked away from him toward the sounds of Gourry and Lina frolicking by the stream. "Yes, that's deep enough."
"And do you know me better now?"
Amelia didn't answer immediately. A bird flew overhead and settled in a bush below. "Did you love her?" she asked quietly.
"Oh yes, I loved her. You know you shouldn't have asked. You have a soft heart and it would have been easier for you to dislike me if you hadn't seen I'm human, like everyone else."
"I never doubted that you were human, Mr. Zelgadiss. I just didn't know you ever had known what it felt like to be in love." Amelia reassured him.
"I've never been out of love," he said in a gentle tone without clarification. "There." He handed her back her blouse, buttons intact and in place. "All done."
Amelia thanked him automatically and hurriedly slipped back into her blouse, his words thrashing about in her head. What had he meant by that? He was still in love with a dead girl? Or, maybe, just maybe someone else? Dare she hope it might be her he loved?
"All right everybody enough time wasted!" Lina shouted, barging in on their serene sanctuary. "Gotta go if we're to make it to Filia's for dinner! And…you did mention we'd be there for DINNER, didn't you Amelia?"
"Y-Yes, Miss Lina! All ready!"
Zelgadiss packed up his thread and needle, clasped his cloak at his throat, and sighed, "Let's go."
Not far way, Xelloss smiled. He was pleased with his protégé's application of power. Direct and to the point. No wasteful overblown spells or razzle-dazzle showmanship either. Very clean, yet gruesome at the same time. He was nearly ready to be gifted with the power commensurate with becoming his general. Wonderful, just as he had hoped. Just as he had suspected Zelgadiss would have been as a Mazouku convert, but, alas, Greyzel would have to do. And he'd do well. Very well. A substitute he could be pleased with; that is, if Greyzel would perform as well for him, Xelloss, his true master! Greyzel had been protecting Zelgadiss, following Zelgadiss' orders, trying to satisfy Zelgadiss—not him.
And that was a problem, the problem. He had had enough difficulty bonding the creature to him as it was. There was something odd about that too. The Zelgadiss and Greyzel must have retained a link of some kind, somehow, somewhere… Zelgadiss must know. He must be aware of it and he must break it. He had promised. He had promised Xelloss to hand over Greyzel in return for his life. This would not do. No. One never double-crossed a Mazouku Lord. Not Xelloss. Not never.
The End. Zelgadiss Torn, Part 6.